Introduction

Hospitals have many factors to weigh when choosing from among the large number of healthcare data
storage options. One thing to consider is the kind of information that is being stored --
whether it's images, patient data or critical hospital information -- because that can dictate
which storage method best serves the organization.

Though there isn't much federal regulation around medical storage, most organizations are
proactively staying ahead of HIPAA's storage contingency plan requirement.

Cloud storage has been a hot topic in healthcare, but many facilities have found it to be an
incomplete solution thus far. This guide is designed to help healthcare organizations safely
navigate the maze of data storage options.

1Healthcare storage tips-

Tips for storing patient data and medical images

There are many data storage approaches available to healthcare facilities, including tiered storage, storage area network or SAN-attached storage. A picture archiving and communication system (PACS) is commonly used for storing medical images. Read the following tips to learn how facilities select and implement healthcare data storage options.

2HIPAA storage-

Implementing and maintaining HIPAA-compliant storage

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) only requires healthcare organizations to have a contingency plan in case of lost data, but many organizations still keep HIPAA in mind when considering storage options.

The Office for Civil Rights is performing more HIPAA audits to ensure the proper storage and security of patient data. Continue Reading

3Cloud storage-

When is cloud a healthcare data storage option?

Although it's not yet suited for all things healthcare, cloud is worthy of consideration for storing protected health information. Read why most organizations currently consider cloud storage a niche option suitable for tasks such as long-term storage of noncritical information.